WRI 2020 - GE - 4 Charts Explain Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Countries and Sectors

08/07/2023, 10:47 5 Facts about Country & Sector GHG Emissions
4 Charts Explain Greenhouse

Gas Emissions by Countries
and Sectors
February 6, 2020 By Mengpin Ge, Johannes Friedrich and Leandro Vigna Cover Image by:
Marek Piwnicki/Unsplash
Explainer
Topic Climate
This article was updated in June 2022 to reflect the latest data.
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(More recent carbon emissions data suggests that there was a temporary decrease in
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the average global CO2 emissions in 2020, but the trend was not sustained.
Preliminary numbers find CO2 emissions
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Where are these emissions coming from, and who is responsible? WRI’s Climate
Watch platform offers comprehensive emissions data for all countries, sectors and
gases. Here’s what we know about the sectors and countries driving greenhouse gas
emissions globally:
The Energy Sector Produces the Most Greenhouse Gas

Emissions
Energy consumption is by far the biggest source of human-caused greenhouse gas
emissions, responsible for a whopping 75.6% (37.6 GtCO2e) worldwide. The energy
sector includes transportation, electricity and heat, buildings, manufacturing and
construction, fugitive emissions and other fuel combustion.
The other top sectors that produce emissions are agriculture, such as livestock and
crop cultivation (5.8 GtCO2e, or 11.6%); industrial processes of chemicals, cement
and more (3.1 GtCO2e, or 6.1%); waste, including landfills and wastewater (1.6
GtCO2e, or 3.3%); and land use, land-use change and forestry, such as deforestation
(1.6 GtCO2e, or 3.3%).
Within the energy sector, heat and electricity generation is responsible for most

emissions (15.8 GtCO2e in 2019, or 31.8% of total greenhouse gas emissions),
followed by transportation (8.4 GtCO2e in 2019, or 17% of total emissions) and
manufacturing and construction (6.3 GtCO2e, or 12.7% of total emissions).
marketing, personalização e análise de dados. Você pode alterar as suas configurações quando
World Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2019

(Sector | End Use | Gas)
Total: 49.8 GtCO2e
CO2 74.1%
Road 12.6%
0.5% Rail
Air 2.1%
1.8% Ship
Flared 1%
Vented 4.4%
Cement 3.2%
CH4 17.3%
Burning 0.5%
N2O 6.2%
3.3% Waste F-Gases 2.4%
Source: Climate Watch, based on

raw data from IEA (2021), GHG
Emissions from Fuel Combustion,
www.iea.org/statistics; modified
by WRI.
A Flourish sankey chart
View a static version of this graphic here.
Buildings and Cars Are the Main Contributors of Energy-related

Emissions
The middle column of the chart above shows emissions by end-use activities,
illustrating the specific activities from which emissions stem. Activities driving most
energy emissions include road transportation (12.6% of total emissions), residential
buildings (11.5% of total emissions) and commercial buildings (6.5% of total
emissions). Emissions from
marketing, personalização those
e análise activities
de dados. Vocêinclude bothasdirect
pode alterar emissions from
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quando
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well as indirect Política de from
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activities such as use of
electricity.
Outside of energy, major drivers include livestock and manure (5.8%), other industry
(4.5%) and agricultural soils (4.2%). The “other industry” category contains all
activities that do not squarely fall within the other categories, including non-
metallic metals, construction, mining and quarrying, textile and leather, wood and
wood products, transportation equipment and more activities.
Industry and Transportation Are the Fastest-growing Sources of

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Since 1990, three sectors stand out as the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas
emissions: Industrial processes grew by 203%, electricity and heating (a subsector of
energy) by 84%, and transportation (a subsector of energy) by 78%.
The growth in industrial emissions stems not only from CO2 emissions, but also the
increased use of refrigeration and air conditioning. These activities
produce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. Increased
travel by automobiles is the predominant reason transportation emissions are on the
rise.
Global Historical Emissions
Download current data (CSV)

Save as image (PNG)
Go to data explorer
Share
Data Source
Climate Watch
Location
World
10 Countries Produce More than 68% of Global Greenhouse Gas

Emissions
A small number of countries contribute most of the world’s greenhouse gas
emissions, with the top 10 emitters accounting for over two-thirds of annual global
greenhouse gas emissions. Most of them also have large populations and economies,
together accounting for over 50% of the global population and 75% of the world’s
GDP.
The Top 10 GHG Emitters Contribute Over

Two-Thirds of Global Emissions
Explore the Latest Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data
on Climate Watch
a
hin
C
Ot
he
rs
To
p1
0
Source: Global GHG Emissions 2019 excluding LUCF. Climate Watch • The EU
27 is considered a country.
*Bunker fuels inlcude international aviation and shipping that are not
included in country totals. Other territories include regions not covered by
Climate Watch country data. See Climate Watch for country level land-use
change and forestry and bunker fuel emissions.
A Flourish hierarchy chart
China is the biggest emitter at 26.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, followed
by the United States at 12.5%, India at 7.06%, and the European Union at 7.03%.1
Most of the top 10 emitters have higher emissions per person than the world
average
quiser ouof 6.27as
aceitar tCO 2e per person.
configurações Among
padrão. Políticathe top 10 total greenhouse gas emitters,
de Privacidade
Canada and the United States have the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions
at 19.6 tCO2e per person and 18.28 tCO2e per person, respectively, while India has
the lowest at 2.48 tCO2e per person. China’s per capita emissions (9.06 tCO2e)
continue to rise, surpassing those of the European Union (7.56 tCO2e).
Countries such as Qatar and Australia, while not among the top 10 emitters, have
higher per capita emissions than most top emitters at 40.52 tCO2e per person and
23.10 tCO2e per person, respectively.
Global Historical Emissions
Download current data (CSV)

Save as image (PNG)
Go to data explorer
Share
Data Source
Filter by Sources
Location
0 selected
Carbon Dioxide Makes Up Most, but Not All, Greenhouse Gas

Emissions
quiser oudioxide
Carbon aceitar as(CO
configurações padrão. Política de Privacidade
2) comprises 74.1% of greenhouse gas emissions. Most
CO2 emissions (92%) are from the use of fossil fuels, especially for generation of
electricity and heat, transportation, and manufacturing and consumption. Land use,
land-use change and forestry is another contributor (3.7%) to human-made

CO2 emissions, mostly due to deforestation.
Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) make up 17.3% and 6.2% of total
greenhouse gas emissions, respectively, mostly from agriculture, waste treatment and
gas flaring. Fluorinated gases (comprised of HFCs, perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur
hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)) from industrial processes make
up 2.4% of global emissions. These gases are much more potent than CO2 in terms
their global warming potential, and often provide overlooked opportunities for
mitigation.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Must Be Reduced Rapidly to Avert

the Climate Crisis
The world is already facing the consequences from climate change. To avoid much
more dangerous and costly impacts, the latest IPCC report finds that for the world
to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) and prevent the
worst effects of climate change, global emissions need to peak before 2025. Recent
research suggests that current levels of greenhouse gas emissions must be slashed in
half by 2030 and reach net-zero by mid-century to keep this temperature target
within reach.
All countries, particularly major economies, need to step up their climate

ambition and submit stronger national climate plans (known as NDCs), develop
long-term climate strategies, and set up targets to reach net-zero emissions as soon
as possible. Globally, 2030 greenhouse gas emissions need to be 55% lower than they
would be under the initial round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
The largest emissions sources, like the energy sector, are good places to start, but
rapid transformations across all systems are needed. The State of Climate
Action report finds that in order for the world to get on track for the emissions cuts
marketing,by
required personalização e análise
2030, countries must de rapidly
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electricity quandohalt
generation,
deforestation, increase the share of low-carbon fuels in transportation, and scale up
public and private finance, among other actions.
Relevant Work
CLIMATE
This Interactive Chart Shows Changes in the World's Top 10 Emitters

Insights MARCH 2, 2023
CLIMATE
9 Charts Explain Per Capita Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country
Insights MAY 8, 2023
CLIMATE
The History of Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Insights MAY 21, 2014
CLIMATE
8 Charts to Understand US State Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Insights AUGUST 10, 2017

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08/07/2023, 10:47 5 Facts about Country & Sector GHG Emissions

4 Charts Explain Greenhouse

The Energy Sector Produces the Most Greenhouse Gas

Within the energy sector, heat and electricity generation is responsible for most

World Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2019

Source: Climate Watch, based on

A Flourish sankey chart

View a static version of this graphic here.

Buildings and Cars Are the Main Contributors of Energy-related

Industry and Transportation Are the Fastest-growing Sources of

Global Historical Emissions

Download current data (CSV)

10 Countries Produce More than 68% of Global Greenhouse Gas

The Top 10 GHG Emitters Contribute Over

A Flourish hierarchy chart

Global Historical Emissions

Download current data (CSV)

Carbon Dioxide Makes Up Most, but Not All, Greenhouse Gas

land-use change and forestry is another contributor (3.7%) to human-made

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Must Be Reduced Rapidly to Avert

All countries, particularly major economies, need to step up their climate

This Interactive Chart Shows Changes in the World's Top 10 Emitters

9 Charts Explain Per Capita Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country

Insights MAY 8, 2023

The History of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Insights MAY 21, 2014

8 Charts to Understand US State Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Insights AUGUST 10, 2017

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